


The Kiss

by ShayneyL



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Love Triangles, M/M, Prompt Fic, True Love's Kiss, Writer's Month 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:35:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26094976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShayneyL/pseuds/ShayneyL
Summary: Tom Paris is unconscious, and nothing the Doctor can do will awaken him.
Relationships: Harry Kim/Tom Paris
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18
Collections: Writer's Month 2020





	The Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Month 2020, Day 24. The prompt is "true love’s kiss."

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Harry was never sure when Tom wandered off. One minute they were together, the next, he was alone. He stopped to investigate some curious readings, and when he looked up, Tom was gone. He called Tom's name, and tried to comm him, but got no answer. Finally he had to call _Voyager_ and ask them to scan for Tom.

He didn't reply to _Voyager_ , either, so they beamed him up. He was unconscious. And nothing the Doctor tried could awaken him.

They were considering sending a team down to the planet to see if there was any clue as to what had happened to Tom, when an alien vessel appeared out of nowhere.

"We're being hailed."

"On screen," Janeway said.

"You are trespassing. This system is the territory of the Sheashi." The speaker was humanoid appearing, with indigo skin. Her purple eyes had no whites.

"We apologize," Captain Janeway said. "We did not know this planet was inhabited."

"Not many live on Kelochia," the alien said. "Only priestesses and priests. It's a holy place. Your crewman intruded into the seminary. The unconsecrated are not permitted there."

"We didn't know," Janeway said. "Please tell us how to restore him, and we will be on our way and not trespass here again."

"He will not awake until true love's kiss is bestowed upon him."

"What??"

"It is our custom. We have found that unruly young people become much less so once they are mated. Therefore, those who intrude on the sacred ground are incapacitated, until their lifemate finds them."

"Mr. Paris had no intention of intruding, and did not realize he was doing so. Can't you make an exception?"

"Unfortunately, that is not possible. If you are incapable of keeping him alive, we can care for him. Sadly, that may mean his lifemate will never find him, but he would live."

"I appreciate the offer, but it's not necessary. Tell me, though…what if he has no lifemate?"

"Everyone has a lifemate," the alien said dismissively. "But if his does not find him, he will never awaken."

"I see. Is it all right if we remain in this system for a short time, in case we have other questions? I give you my word we will not intrude on your planet again."

"You may remain as long as you wish, as long you do not trespass on Kelochia. I'm sorry this happened to your crewman. May he find his lifemate soon."

"Thank you, and I apologize for trespassing." Janeway signaled to Harry, and he cut the connection.

"Captain," he said. "What does that even mean? 'True love's kiss'? It sounds like a fairy tale."

"Does it mean literally a kiss?" Chakotay said. "Or is that symbolic of something else?"

"He's in a coma, it can't be anything too strenuous," said Janeway.

"I believe they are telepaths, or otherwise psychically gifted," Tuvok said. "Perhaps it refers to the type of mental bond common between mates on Vulcan and some other planets."

"If so, we may be out of luck," Janeway said. "Tom is many things, but he's not a telepath. For now, we'll remain here. The Doctor will keep trying to awaken Tom. And…send B'Elanna to sickbay, and tell her to kiss Tom. Couldn't hurt."

* * *

It didn't hurt, but it didn't help, either. Tom remained unconscious. Other members of the crew had taken to slipping down to sickbay, seeing if their kiss could awaken Tom. The Doctor kept trying various stimulants, all to no avail.

Harry was struggling to come to terms with the idea that Tom might be lost forever. He was still alive, but everything that made Tom _Tom_ was gone. He went to the holodeck, where the Fair Haven program was running, and sat on a rock by the beach. He and Tom had spent so many hours creating this program, then enjoying it together. It was both comforting to be here, and heartbreaking.

Eventually, someone sat next to him. It was B'Elanna. He was surprised at that; B'Elanna did not like Fair Haven. He'd never seen her here voluntarily. "What are you doing here?"

"I hate this stupid town, but it reminds me of him, you know?"

"I know. Any change?"

She shook her head. "The captain says we're leaving tomorrow. We can't wait here any longer."

Harry had been expecting that. The Sheashi had helped as much as they could or would; there was no point in lingering. If there was a cure for Tom, they'd have to find it elsewhere.

"Half the crew has kissed Tom," B'Elanna said. Ordinarily, she'd be angry, but now she was willing to go along with anything that might help him. "Have you tried?"

"No. I think that whole kiss thing is a red herring or he'd have woken up when you kissed him," he said. "Or maybe it works for them, but not for us." Or…maybe Tom's true love was back in the Alpha Quadrant. He was careful not to say that to B'Elanna, though.

* * *

Harry visited Tom every night, after his shift. He'd tried going really late, but found he was in the way when various crew members came in to try and kiss him. Now he went during dinner time.

He was increasingly resigned to the idea that Tom would never wake up. The Doctor said Tom was completely unaware of his surroundings, but Harry spoke to him anyway. It might not help Tom, but it helped him.

"If you don't wake up soon, they're going to move you to a stasis unit," Harry said. "You hate those, so you better wake up."

Tom didn't respond. He didn't even seem to be breathing, though the sickbay monitors showed that he was. He was like a marble statue, beautiful but still, so very still. Harry dropped a kiss on Tom's brow. There was no reaction, and Harry didn't expect one. He sighed, then placed a kiss on Tom's lips. It was goodbye.

But suddenly, Tom's arms wrapped around him, pulling him down. Harry was so startled he didn't resist, and found himself half-lying on Tom, while Tom kissed him deeply. Harry was so relieved that Tom was awake he couldn't help returning the kiss. Or so he told himself later.

"Mr. Paris?"

It was the Doctor's voice. Harry hastily pulled away, straightening his uniform and smoothing his hair. The Doctor was running a scanner over Tom. "All readings entirely normal," he announced. "Aside from a certain degree of sexual arousal, which is not surprising under the circumstances." Tom blushed, and Harry cringed, hoping the Doctor didn't turn a scanner on him right now. "Well, Mr. Paris, you gave the crew quite a scare. The captain will be pleased to hear that you've decided to return to the land of the living."

* * *

The captain called a briefing to announce Tom's recovery. "I'm not sure what happened," Tom said. "I saw some kind of structure, and walked toward it, wondering what it was. I thought the planet was uninhabited. Then…I don't remember anything, until I woke up in sickbay."

"The good news is that you have two weeks' worth of replicator rations and holodeck time saved up," Chakotay said. "The bad news is you've used up all your leave time."

Everyone at the briefing laughed. Except Harry…and B'Elanna. Harry was very happy that Tom was back…but when he saw B'Elanna's expression, he almost wished Tom had stayed asleep.


End file.
